And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the LORD.
2 Chronicles 12:14
What comes to mind when you hear the phrase, 'Be prepared'? Most of us recognize it as the motto for the Boy and the Girl Scouts of America. No matter what it brings to mind, it's all about the same thing: doing what you know to do to be ready for what is coming.
Our text for today refers to Israel's King Rehoboam. He had really made God angry because he and the people had abandoned God and had turned to idol worship. God was ready to kill them all, but then Rehoboam humbled himself before God and it turned away God’s wrath (vs.12).
Preparing one’s heart is more than just saying, “Okay, God, I have time for You now.” It’s not about fitting God into our schedule. It’s about breaking up the hard ground. Crushing the clods of bitterness, selfishness. It’s about working it loose – and then holding it together by soaking it with the water of the Word. Making PREPARATION for the seeds of God’s planting. Just like preparing the soil is hard work, so is preparing one’s heart. But it’s worth it – it releases God’s grace in our lives.
Even before the dispensation of Grace in the New Testament, we find people in 2 Chronicles 30, who had not gone through the purification process required in God's law before participating in the Feast of Unleavened Bread. However, vvs.19-20 NKJV reads, '...Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “May the good LORD provide atonement for everyone who prepares his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he is not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.” And the LORD listened to Hezekiah and healed the people.'
We MUST prepare our hearts to have a relationship with Christ! Jesus said in Matthew 13:15, 'For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes— so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.' That is not what we want Jesus to say about us.
We MUST prepare our hearts to be used by God to fulfill His purpose in our lives. 2 Timothy 2:20-21 reads, 'In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use. Those who cleanse themselves from the latter [for common use] will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.' God changes our hearts, but only if we have prepared our hearts to receive His changes.
Are we prepared?
Prayer:
Father,
According to Your Word - Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen
Showing posts with label Prepare. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Prepare. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 22, 2025
Thursday, August 29, 2024
Reminder - At the Last Minute
If only you would prepare your heart and lift up your hands to him in prayer! Get rid of your sins, and leave all iniquity behind you.
Job 11:13 NLT
It came up in my memories this week - it's been seven years since Hurricane Harvey devastated the Texas Gulf Coast. I remember everyone scrambling to try to find bottled water and bread and gasoline the night before the hurricane/tropical storm was supposed to make landfall. They'd known for several days, but they seemed taken by surprise. Earlier that same week, everyone scrambled at the very last minute to find glasses they could wear to watch the eclipse. That wasn't a surprise, either. They announced it LONG before it was going to happen.
I think it's going to be the same when Jesus comes again. He's been telling us for a VERY long time that He's coming back... He's not kidding. There won't be any score to be made at the last minute because according to Scripture, even though we've had plenty of warning, when Jesus comes, everything will happen "in the twinkling of an eye". And in His case, it truly IS life or death for everyone...
Prayer:
Father,
It is not Your will that ANY should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Open their eyes to see that You are not slow in Your return as some count slowness, but You are extraordinarily patient toward us so that all might have everlasting life. Help us to help others see You, to find You, to know You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Job 11:13 NLT
It came up in my memories this week - it's been seven years since Hurricane Harvey devastated the Texas Gulf Coast. I remember everyone scrambling to try to find bottled water and bread and gasoline the night before the hurricane/tropical storm was supposed to make landfall. They'd known for several days, but they seemed taken by surprise. Earlier that same week, everyone scrambled at the very last minute to find glasses they could wear to watch the eclipse. That wasn't a surprise, either. They announced it LONG before it was going to happen.
I think it's going to be the same when Jesus comes again. He's been telling us for a VERY long time that He's coming back... He's not kidding. There won't be any score to be made at the last minute because according to Scripture, even though we've had plenty of warning, when Jesus comes, everything will happen "in the twinkling of an eye". And in His case, it truly IS life or death for everyone...
Prayer:
Father,
It is not Your will that ANY should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Open their eyes to see that You are not slow in Your return as some count slowness, but You are extraordinarily patient toward us so that all might have everlasting life. Help us to help others see You, to find You, to know You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Tuesday, April 30, 2024
Prepared Hearts
Now it came to pass, when Rehoboam had established the kingdom and had strengthened himself, that he forsook the law of the Lord, and all Israel along with him.
And he did evil, because he did not prepare his heart to seek the Lord.
2 Chronicles 12:1, 14
We hear much today in Christiandom about reaching the next generation and how important it is now, especially in these last days. Let me say something here - it's ALWAYS been important!
Deuteronomy 11: 18-21, instructs us in the Message Bible, Place these words on your hearts. Get them deep inside you. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder. Teach them to your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning until you fall into bed at night. Inscribe them on the doorposts and gates of your cities so that you’ll live a long time, and your children with you, on the soil that God promised to give your ancestors for as long as there is a sky over the Earth. In other words, PREPARE our hearts!
Rehoboam was David's grandson and the son of Solomon. David, the man after God's own heart and Solomon the wisest man who ever lived... The successor to the throne from the line of David. A man of great influence, so much so that when he forsook the law of the Lord, all of Israel did so with him... and why? Because he did not prepare his heart to seek the Lord.
What are we doing to prepare our own hearts and the hearts of our children and our children's children and those who are within the sound of our voice to seek the Lord?
Prayer:
Father,
Help us to be ever mindful of the task before us - to teach Your Words to our children and others within our realm of influence. To talk about You and Your Word wherever we are, sitting at home or walking in the street; to talk about Your Word from the time we get up in the morning until we fall into bed at night. Open the ears of those following after us to hear and embrace Your Words, Father. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
And he did evil, because he did not prepare his heart to seek the Lord.
2 Chronicles 12:1, 14
We hear much today in Christiandom about reaching the next generation and how important it is now, especially in these last days. Let me say something here - it's ALWAYS been important!
Deuteronomy 11: 18-21, instructs us in the Message Bible, Place these words on your hearts. Get them deep inside you. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder. Teach them to your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning until you fall into bed at night. Inscribe them on the doorposts and gates of your cities so that you’ll live a long time, and your children with you, on the soil that God promised to give your ancestors for as long as there is a sky over the Earth. In other words, PREPARE our hearts!
Rehoboam was David's grandson and the son of Solomon. David, the man after God's own heart and Solomon the wisest man who ever lived... The successor to the throne from the line of David. A man of great influence, so much so that when he forsook the law of the Lord, all of Israel did so with him... and why? Because he did not prepare his heart to seek the Lord.
What are we doing to prepare our own hearts and the hearts of our children and our children's children and those who are within the sound of our voice to seek the Lord?
Prayer:
Father,
Help us to be ever mindful of the task before us - to teach Your Words to our children and others within our realm of influence. To talk about You and Your Word wherever we are, sitting at home or walking in the street; to talk about Your Word from the time we get up in the morning until we fall into bed at night. Open the ears of those following after us to hear and embrace Your Words, Father. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
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